The Lights Went Out in Georgia
by Flynne
Summary: Luke, Daisy, and Bo find themselves in hot water on their way home from Atlanta. Complete!
1. Chapter One

** Prologue**

Deputy Carl Cook sighed unhappily as he trudged back to the cell block. He wasn't looking forward to what he had to do. It was bad enough that Sam Avery was in the clink…now he had two more fellows to worry about, and they didn't really seem the criminal type at all. One was tall and lanky, shaggy blond hair hanging over two of the biggest, most innocent-looking blue eyes Carl had ever seen on a man. And the other…well, that was the problem. Shorter than his friend, dark, with a solid build, radiating steady confidence. Fit the description to a tee.

It was a shame, really. The two young men had been traveling through the small town of Washburn at just the wrong time, and now it wasn't looking as if they'd ever get to leave.

_That's the night that the lights went out in Georgia_

_That's the night that they hung an innocent man_

_Don't trust your soul to no backwoods Southern lawyer_

_The judge in the town's got bloodstains on his hands_

**Chapter One**

"**To Flee or not to Flee?"**

"Bo, ain't we gonna stop soon? I'm hungry."

"We've only been on the road an hour," Bo replied, looking at Luke out of the corner of his eye. "You should've ordered more breakfast at the diner. I'm not stoppin' for another good hour at least."

"That fella back there might disagree with you," Daisy remarked coolly from the back seat. Both young men glanced back, startled to see the all-too-familiar flashing red and blue lights of a patrol car.

"What? Aw, man, you're kidding me!" Bo groaned.

Daisy reached forward to swat her younger cousin on the back of the head. "I _told_ you, you were going too fast!"

"I'm not speeding!" Bo protested.

"Heard that one before." Luke grinned.

"I'm not speeding _this_ time."

Daisy leaned forward to stick her head between the two front seats. "Betcha can outrun him."

Bo scoffed. "I _know_ I can. Question is, do we try it?"

"Mmmm…" Luke made a face. "We're still pretty far from Hazzard County. Plenty of time for our friend back there to call ahead and get some real cops out on the road."

"And that's all we need…rollin' up in front of Boss Hogg with a parade of black-and-whites on our tail. He'd never let us forget." Bo sighed gustily. "S'pose I should pull over, although I hate doin' it."

"Can't do any harm," Daisy said. "You boys didn't do anything wrong this time."

The General Lee drifted to the side of the road and stopped with a lurch. Daisy tapped her nails on the seat, Luke frowned, and Bo fidgeted while they waited for the cop to drag himself out of his car and up to their window. To their alarm, not one, but two officers hopped out, ducked behind the open doors of the squad car, and drew their pistols.

"I need everyone in the car to get out and move away from the vehicle. Keep your hands up where I can see 'em!"

"What?" Bo yelped. He gulped as his heart started to pound just a bit faster. "What the heck did we do?"

"I dunno, but I think we'd better listen to 'em," Luke said. The boys slid out of the car first, praying that the two men behind them weren't as trigger-happy as they sounded. They stepped away from the car as Daisy climbed out the passenger side window. All three Dukes lifted their hands in the air.

Luke sidled a bit to the left, putting himself between Daisy and the guns. "What's this all about?"

"Get down on the ground, mister," the officer replied. "All of you. Slowly, now. Lie flat on your face." The three young people exchanged hasty glances. They knew enough about cops to know that this one wasn't kidding, and it was the wrong time to argue when you were staring down the wrong end of a gun. So even though each of them had to struggle to bite back a nasty retort, they swallowed their pride and obeyed. The policemen hurried forward, frisked them, and finally told them they could stand up again.

Bo gave Daisy a hand up before turning his blazing blue glare on the two cops. "You mind tellin' us what this is about _now_?" he demanded. Daisy crossed her arms, flushed with anger and embarrassment while Luke glowered beside her. Now that they could get a good look at the officers, they saw that they had been stopped by a sheriff and his deputy. The sheriff was pot-bellied and stone-faced. He ignored Bo's question and pulled out a small pad of paper.

"What're your names?"

"We ain't tellin' you nothin' until you—"

Luke hastily clamped his hand on Bo's arm to shut him up. "Our name's Duke," he replied. "I'm Luke, this is Bo, and that's Daisy."

"Mmmm-hm." The sheriff made a note on his pad. "Where you from, boy?"

Luke bristled at being called "boy", but he controlled his temper and said, "Up in Hazzard County."

"Where you been the past week?"

"We were in Atlanta to see a car show. Just headin' home today."

The sheriff glanced dismissively at the General Lee before saying, "You stayed in Washburn last night."

"Yeah, at the motel." Luke pulled out his wallet and produced a folded piece of paper.

I'm guessin' you'll want to see that next." He nudged Bo, prompting the other man to retrieve a similar paper from his own pocket.

"Hmph. Permits from a probation officer?" The sheriff's eyes narrowed as he scanned the documents. "What are you boys on probation for?"

Bo sighed, debating whether or not he should try and explain the short, tubby, and slightly corrupt force of nature in Hazzard that was Boss Hogg. He opted out and settled for the shortest possible reply. "Runnin' shine a few years back. And a few, uh, minor traffic violations."

"That's all I needed to know." The sheriff snapped his notepad shut. "You're under arrest. Cuff 'em, Cook."

It was so abrupt that Bo didn't fully realize what had been said until the deputy was pulling his arms behind his back. "Hey, what the heck did we do?" he demanded.

"Quit yer struggling, Mr. Duke, or we'll have to use force," the sheriff threatened, gesturing with his pistol.

"You can't do this!" Luke protested angrily as the deputy slapped the cold cuffs onto his wrists. "We don't even know why you're arresting us!"

"You'll find out when you get back to Washburn, if you don't remember," the sheriff said snidely. He looked at Daisy. "Don't worry, Little Sister. We ain't arrestin' you. Yet."

"Well, what'n the world am I supposed to do?" Daisy demanded, planting her hands on her hips.

"Why don't you follow us back to town?" the deputy suggested. "Sheriff Parker'll sort out everything when we get there."

"He'd _better_!" the young woman snapped back. She stormed off and slid nimbly into the driver's seat of the General Lee. Bo and Luke were hustled into the back seat of the police car, and their strange trip back to Washburn began.

The hour-long ride seemed interminable. The back seat of the squad car was uncomfortably warm, and both young men were beginning to feel slivers of pain creeping up their arms as their hands and wrists began to cramp from being confined behind their backs. It was just a little reassuring to look out the rear window and see the General Lee staying close behind.

Daisy chewed nervously on her lip as she passed the Washburn city limit. Sure, Bo and Luke did just a little too much flirting with the law, but they never meant any harm. Usually any trouble they got into ended up fixing things rather than making them worse. Laws weren't really broken…just _bent_ a little bit. And if you took a good, honest look at the goings-on of Hazzard, you'd see that the boys were the ones who straightened the law out, not the ones that did the bending.

She let out a sudden growl of frustration as the cop car in front of her sped through the tail end of a yellow light. She slammed on the brakes and managed to stop in time, but sat and tapped her nails on the wheel as she impatiently waited for the light to change. By the time she was able to move through the intersection, the police car had disappeared. Washburn was a small town, though, and it didn't take her long to find the police station. When she walked inside, the front room was empty. Because of her delay, her cousins had already been hauled off to a jail cell before she could see them. She was about to go looking for them when an office door opened and the sandy-haired deputy emerged.

"Glad you made it," he greeted her.

"Save it," she snapped back. "Where are Luke and Bo?"

"Sheriff Parker had to lock 'em up in the back."

"Why?"

"I can't tell you anything yet," Cook replied somewhat sheepishly. "You'll have to talk to the sheriff. He'll be along in a minute…he's finishin' up on the phone."

As if on cue, the door to the sheriff's office opened. "Ah, she found her way," he remarked casually as he noticed Daisy. "Carl, you can go take care of things like we discussed."

"Yessir." Carl hopped up from his desk and headed back towards the cell block. He was relieved to leave the room after seeing the look on Miss Duke's face, and took a bit of guilty pleasure in the fact that Parker was stuck with her.

He could hear the Duke boys talking to each other as he approached their cell. His mouth twisted as he mulled over exactly what he was going to say to the two strangers. He and Parker had come up with a temporary strategy, but it didn't seem quite right, or quite fair to the Dukes. But it was too late to change his mind right now, and he was already at the cell. The two men fell silent at once when they saw him, rising from the narrow bench and advancing to the front of the cell. The hopeful gleam in their eyes made him feel even worse.

"You comin' to let us out?" the one called Bo asked.

"Well, son, _you_ can go free," Carl replied. He ignored the puzzled glances he got as he unlocked the door, gesturing for the young man to step outside. Luke took a step forward, an uncertain frown marring his face as the deputy slowly but deliberately shut the cell door again.

Bo scowled. "Hey, wait a minute, why can't he go?"

"Sorry, son. I've got to keep him here. We're holding him as a suspect."

"A suspect?" Luke blurted out. "What for?"

Carl gave him an apologetic glance. "Murder."


	2. Chapter Two

_Thank you to everyone who commented on the first chapter! I'm glad you enjoyed it. :) Just so you all know—I DO have the entire story written, so I promise it will all be posted eventually. I'll just be posting one chapter at a time as I go through it for the final edit. _

_Oh, also…the finished story ended up being a lot different than the song that inspired it. I never planned to copy the plot from the song verbatim, but when I started writing, things just went in a different direction than I thought they would. You know how it goes. ;) _

- Flynne

**Chapter Two **

"**Something is Rotten in the State of Georgia"**

"You're holdin' _Luke_ for _murder_? That's crazy!" Bo sputtered.

"Not crazy," Carl corrected. "Cautious."

Luke's strong hands curled around the cell bars and he took a deep breath to calm himself. "Look here, Cook. I don't know what in blue blazes you're talkin' about, but don't you think it's time we set the record straight? What's goin' on?"

Carl sighed. "I need to read you your rights first."

"Don't bother. I've heard 'em often enough to know 'em," Luke said dryly. "Just talk."

Carl raised an eyebrow at Luke's answer, but continued. "Where did you stay last night, Mr. Duke?"

"We told you. The motel at the east end of town."

"And did you at any point leave the motel room in the middle of the night?"

"No!" Bo broke in irritably.

"Yes," Luke said quietly.

That brought Bo up short. "Huh?" He looked quizzically at his older cousin. "You did?"

Luke shrugged uneasily. "Too hot in the motel room to sleep. And you were snoring. I got up and went out to get some air. You an' Daisy didn't hear me leave. You're sound sleepers."

"What time was that?" Carl asked.

"Close to two-thirty in the morning, I reckon."

"Why don't you tell me what happened on your walk?" Cook leaned back against the wall and folded his arms across his chest.

Luke's brow furrowed as he thought. "Well…I don't remember what streets I went down. It was late and I don't know my way around this town." Bo was tempted to make a snide remark about how Luke was supposed to know better than to wander around strange places in the dark since he had the reputation of being the smarter Duke boy, but the seriousness of the situation had him scared. He held his tongue, listening intently to his cousin.

"I wasn't payin' much attention where I was going. I just kept a general idea of where the motel was in my head. Pretty hard to get lost in a town the size of Washburn. Anyway, I remember passin' by a garage or something. It was pretty big, and the door was open. I remember that 'cause I thought I heard someone movin' around inside. I decided to check it out. I went closer to the door and looked in. Didn't see nobody, but I was pretty sure I'd heard someone. Gave me the creeps and I was startin' to realize just how late it was, so I turned around and got back to the motel. I saw someone on my way back, though…" He paused.

Cook gestured for him to continue. "And what did this person look like?"

Luke shrugged, looking troubled. "I couldn't see him too well. Just enough so's I'm pretty sure he had dark hair. But…well, if that's the guy you're lookin' for, whatever I tell you ain't gonna help. You already got a description of him…otherwise you wouldn't have picked _me_ up."

The deputy frowned slightly as he held Luke's gaze. "I suppose you're right," he said noncommittally.

"Did you see anything in the garage?" Bo prodded, impatient for his cousin to continue.

Luke frowned and shook his head. "Not sure, exactly. It was pretty dark and there weren't many street lights. It smelled pretty funny in there, though. It kinda looked like there might be parts of a still in there, but—"

"Well, I think that's enough for now," the deputy suddenly cut in. He glanced at his watch. "I don't know what's keeping Sheriff Parker, but I really shouldn't hear much more without him here."

"Hey, let him finish!" Bo said. "Luke, you said there was—"

"I said that's enough!" Carl said, speaking loud enough to drown Bo out. He grasped the young man's biceps gently but firmly and tried to steer him towards the door.

"Hey, cut it out! You ain't draggin' me away!" Bo jerked back, tugging his arm out of the policeman's grip. "Let him finish!"

Carl reached out again, taking a tighter hold of Bo's arm as his other hand hovered near the butt of his pistol. "You'll have to come with me, sir."

"No!"

"Bo, stop it!" Luke's commanding voice brought his younger cousin to an abrupt standstill. He pinned Bo with his somber blue gaze and said, "Fightin' him isn't gonna help. Go find Daisy, talk to the sheriff and see what you can do. I'll tell these guys what I know. Don't worry, we'll take care of this."

Bo was plainly fuming, but he recognized the wisdom in Luke's words, and he gave a clipped nod. "Ok. Just you sit tight, Luke. We'll get you outta here."

Carl stepped close to him again, trying to lead him away. Bo drew back at first, but the deputy was insistent, pressing closer and lowering his voice. "If you want to help him, you've gotta trust me," he said. "It's important that you don't tell anyone what Luke said yet. Let me and the sheriff handle it. Will you do that at least?"

Bo almost shoved the shorter man away—but he didn't. His flare of temper was diminishing to a slow burn of frustration and he knew if he reacted strongly it would only provoke the officer, possibly landing himself behind bars for real. He glanced back one more time. Luke met his eyes. Luke was nervous, confused, and a little scared, but what Bo saw in the depths of his best friend's eyes was trust. _You'll help me get out of this._

His cousin was counting on him. Never before had he let Luke down when he needed him, and he'd be damned if he was going to start now. He sighed heavily. "Ok, Cook, I'll do what you want." He hooked his thumbs in his belt and followed the deputy into the front office. The icy glare that Daisy was directing at Parker melted at once when she saw Bo step through the doorway.

"Bo!" She hurried to embrace her tall cousin, letting out a sigh of relief. "Finally! I tried to convince Parker to let you out, but—" She stopped suddenly, noticing the glum expression on his face and the conspicuous absence of her other cousin. "Where's Luke?"

"They're keeping him here," Bo answered grimly. "Holdin' him as a murder suspect."

"_What?_" Daisy gasped, shock rapidly turning to anger. She let go of Bo and spun around to look at Parker. "How can you even—"

"Whoa now, Little Sister…" Parker interrupted.

"_Miss Duke_," Daisy corrected coldly.

"…you're gettin' riled before you know any of the facts," the sheriff finished, ignoring the fact that she had spoken at all. "So if you and your friend here shut up, maybe we'll get things done."

"Ok, we'll listen," Bo snapped. "Start talking."

"Last night sometime between two and three AM, four of our fine citizens were killed in cold blood. Found the bodies in an alley near a garage on the east end of town. Throats cut clean through. Not a trace of the killer to be found…but he wasn't as smart as he thought he was. There was a witness. Described the killer as a man in his twenties or thirties, dark hair, sturdy build, about five foot ten. Luke Duke fits that description. By his own confession, he was close by there last night at that time, and he don't have an alibi. Now you tell me why I shouldn't arrest him."

"'Cause Luke wouldn't do it," Bo replied. "He ain't a killer. Besides that, he don't have a reason for it!"

"All killers have motives," Parker told them calmly. "Usually nobody knows it until too late. We know it now."

Bo gritted his teeth. "What is it?"

"Classified. The public doesn't need to know yet. We're still workin' on the investigation."

"So who's the witness? Why do you believe them?"

"Also classified." Parker smirked. "For his or her own protection, you understand."

"Sure," Bo said sullenly.

"Don't get too bent outta shape," Carl spoke up. "Luke ain't the only one we're investigating. We got a long way to go before any of this can come to trial."

"Get on out of here now," Parker ordered. "Ain't nothin' you can do for Luke now except get in the way. And by the way, I wouldn't go around tellin' people your kin's in jail, and I wouldn't go askin' too many questions. People from Washburn don't take too kindly to losin' their own, and we don't like nosy strangers." An angry retort burned at the back of Bo's throat, but he forced himself to nod politely, took Daisy's arm, and left.

The sunlight was bright and hot after the cool police station. Daisy blinked and raised a hand to shade her eyes. "What're we gonna do, Bo?"

Bo frowned thoughtfully. "We're gonna figure out exactly what Luke saw," he said quietly. "But I don't wanna talk here. Come on." He led the way to the General Lee and the two cousins slid inside.

"What do you mean, you wanna figure out what Luke saw?" Daisy asked.

"When I was back in the cell block with Luke and the deputy, Luke started talkin' about some garage he saw."

"The garage near where those men were killed?"

"I think so. He said he thought he heard someone inside and he saw what might've been parts of a still. He wasn't sure about that, though, and he said it smelled funny but I don't know if he meant moonshine or not. Cook cut him off pretty quick after that. Said he didn't want to go no further until Parker was there with him, but it seemed like there was more to it than that and I aim to find out what it is.

"The ol' General here is pretty conspicuous," he continued, giving the steering wheel an affectionate pat, "so I don't think we should drive it around town to scout things out. I say we go back to the motel and then start out on foot to see what we can find out. But first: lunch. I'm starvin'."

Bo started the General up and drove around for a few minutes until he found the local diner. He felt the first prickling touch of uneasiness as he parked the bright orange car in the lot and hauled himself out the window. A small cluster of men were sitting on the diner porch in folding chairs, staring openly at him. The stares were curious, but not exactly friendly.

He guided Daisy inside and slid into the first booth he came to. A folded-up newspaper was on the seat and he picked it up to have a look. "FOUR MEN BRUTALLY MURDERED" was the headline that blazed up at him in big block letters.

"Whaddaya want?" The sudden harsh voice at his elbow startled him and he looked up to see a sour-faced old woman glaring down at him.

"Uh—can I just get a burger and coke please?" The woman grunted and made a note. Daisy ordered the same. The waitress stomped off to another table.

"Friendly little town, ain't it?" Bo muttered. He turned his attention to the paper again. The article was short and informative, but the reporter had no qualms about giving a little personal touch to his writing. _Washburn will not rest until the murderer is found_, he declared. _Already our Sheriff Parker has begun the search for the guilty. Justice will be done._ "Sounds like this town's ready to riot," Bo remarked.

Daisy looked worried. "And Luke's got himself stuck in the middle."

**XXXXXX**

They ate and left the diner as quickly as they could, as more than one person had taken note of the strangers and people were starting to whisper amongst themselves. As it turned out, Bo ended up going out searching on his own. They checked into the motel with no problem and called the jail once more to let the deputy know where they were. They then decided that one of them should stay in case the sheriff called back. It wasn't a good idea for a young lady to wander around a strange town alone and besides, Daisy had to admit that Bo was better at sneaking, when you got right down to it. So she stayed behind and Bo stepped out into the street.

He headed toward the east end of town, walking casually, looking carefully around him while trying not to look as if he were taking notice of anything. It wasn't exactly easy to be inconspicuous. There weren't too many people out in the heat of the afternoon, but every time he did pass by someone, they'd look him up and down warily as he walked by. On an ordinary day, they might've greeted the stranger in their small town, but they were angry and suspicious. _I'm stickin' out like a sore thumb even without the General Lee._

As Bo wandered farther away from the motel, the stares became more hostile. He was away from the main part of town now, and a good number of the buildings he passed were empty, plywood nailed haphazardly over the windows. Brown weeds struggled to grow in the cracks of the sidewalk. _Luke, what the devil possessed you to keep goin' this way?_ he wondered. Then: _Did he really tell the deputy everything he saw? More important, why wouldn't he?_

Suddenly he perked up. Across the street, he could see a yellow brick building that looked like it might have been an auto repair garage at some point. The windows in the big rising front door had been painted over long ago and he couldn't see inside, but it was the first building he'd seen that looked like a garage. He picked up his pace a little and started to cross the street.

Then he glanced over his shoulder and his heart gave a little thump as he saw a group of five men casually strolling along the sidewalk about two blocks behind. By the way they were looking at him he could tell they'd been following him for a little while. Well. No sense in running away. They must really want to talk to him if they'd followed him. It'd be a shame to disappoint them.

So he turned around, stepped onto the sidewalk and walked boldly toward them, giving them a lopsided grin as he raised his hand in greeting. "Howdy, boys. Somethin' I can do for you?"

Nobody else smiled.

The foremost man, a tall, lean fellow wearing coveralls and a red baseball cap spoke. "You're quite a ways from where you belong, stranger."

Bo shrugged. "Just takin' a look around your nice little town, is all."

"We got nicer places for you to look," Red Hat answered. "Safer places. Don't you know four good men were killed a couple blocks away last night?"

"I heard about it."

"I bet you did." The five men stepped closer. Bo felt his heart begin to beat a little faster, but he forced himself to stand still and not back away. "We know why you're here," Red Hat continued. "We know your buddy's in jail. Won't do you no good to fight it. We all know he was in on it—him and that no-good snake, Avery. That man never did belong here and now he's done proved it."

Bo narrowed his eyes. "I don't know this Avery fella, but you're wrong about Luke. He didn't do nothin' wrong."

"Four men are dead. That's wrong. Somebody's gonna pay for it, and right now that's your kin. We know who you are and what you're doing, Duke."

This was getting ugly. Bo glared stonily at the five men, clenching his fists. "I don't have to stand here and listen to this. My business ain't none of your business." He started to turn away.

"That's where you're wrong, kid." Before Bo could swivel away, two of the men seized his arms and slammed him against the brick building behind him.

"We don't like it when strangers come into town and cause trouble," Red Hat growled. "We know your friend was seen here. He'll be swingin' from a tree before the week is out. And if you know what's good for you, you'll quit pokin' your nose where it don't belong, or you just might end up hangin' next to him."

"You can threaten me all you want, but it won't change that my cousin is innocent. And you're not gonna stop me from trying to prove it." Bo tried to pull away, but they had a good grip on him and jerked him back against the bricks again. He winced as the back of his head hit the wall with a painful thud.

"Don't bet on it." Pinned against the wall like he was, Bo couldn't block the fist Red Hat swung at him. He grunted at the hard blow to his stomach, then jerked his leg up to kick Red Hat in the gut. He had the satisfaction of seeing the skinny man tumble into the street before the other two men who weren't holding him jumped forward. Now, everybody knows that a Duke can hold his own in a fight, but five-to-one odds would tip the scales for anybody. He managed to wrench his arms free and land his share of solid hits, but he was overpowered by sheer numbers and the fight didn't last too long. When they knocked him down for the last time, they drew back a few paces and watched him panting as he struggled to his hands and knees on the cracked pavement.

"You keep in mind what we said, Duke," Red Hat said warningly. "If you know what's good for you, you'll take that pretty gal of yours and get outta town before somethin' else happens."

Bo's eyes were blazing with fury, but as he looked at the five men blocking his path, he knew he had no choice but to turn around and go back to the motel. They had only roughed him up a bit—he wasn't badly hurt—but he knew he soon would be if he didn't back down. Besides, that garage wasn't going anywhere, and he'd have another chance to check it out later if he had to. He climbed to his feet, took a deep breath, and walked away. He never once looked back.


	3. Chapter Three

_Here's part three! You might notice that I've changed Scott Avery's name to Sam. I don't really like the name Scott (apologies to all the Scotts out there) ;) and I had just pulled the name out of my head randomly when I started writing the story. So because I'm the author (and because I'm female), it's my prerogative to change my mind. :) So I did. (Ha!)_

_And if anybody has been missing Luke, don't worry…he's back._

-Flynne

**Chapter Three **

"**Two's Company"**

Bo made it back to the motel without incident. His stomach and ribs were pretty sore where those five men had pounded him and he could tell a bruise was starting to form on his jaw, but other than that he was all right if you didn't count his rumpled and dusty clothes; bar fights at the Boar's Nest tended to make men from Hazzard a little tougher than the rest of Georgia. People still stared at him if he passed them on the street, but he could tell they were satisfied that the nosy stranger had gotten what he deserved. True, Bo was hurting, but he couldn't help feeling a little bit satisfied himself—he'd lost the fight, but he knew he'd given as good as he got.

He knocked on the motel room door for Daisy to let him in. As soon as she swung the door open, her pretty face darkened with concern.

"Bo! What the heck happened to you?" She took him by the arm and led him inside, steering him toward one of the beds.

"Some of the fine citizens of this town took exception to me wanderin' around," he answered, flopping back onto the mattress. "We discussed it in a civil manner and then beat the tar out of each other."

"How many of them were there?"

"Five."

Daisy grimaced. "I suppose that means you couldn't convince 'em to see things your way."

"You could say that." Bo winced as he gingerly prodded the spot on his side where Red Hat had kicked him.

"Are you gonna be ok?"

"Yeah. I'll be feelin' it even more tomorrow, but they didn't hurt me too bad."

"Did you ever manage to find that garage?"

"I think I did, but I never got to look inside it. Guess we'll have to try and talk to Luke again."

Daisy sat down slowly on the edge of the bed beside him, shaking her head. "I was gonna tell you when you came in…I already tried callin' the jail. Parker told me that he couldn't talk to anybody until the trial."

"Until the _trial_? That don't sound right. When'll that be?"

"Soon as they can manage it, I guess." Daisy wet her lips. "Parker said that they've got another man in custody...Sam Avery. He said he knows Avery is behind it and he's sure that Luke's an accomplice. He did a background check on him and found out he was in the Marines...said that means clear as day that he's capable of killing. Now instead of just being a suspect, he's all ready to declare Luke guilty! He hung up on me. I called him right back, but he just said if I called again he'd have me arrested too."

"I'm thinkin' it's about time we called Uncle Jesse."

"I already tried that, too," Daisy sighed. "You know we're way out of CB range. Long distance don't work from the room phone. I didn't see a pay phone when we were drivin' around, and I don't think anyone would let me use their phone if I asked."

Bo snorted. "You're right about that one. Sam Avery, huh?" He folded his arms behind his head. "Funny…one of the guys who beat me up mentioned him, too." He shot his cousin a grim look. "From what it sounds like, this town is ready to hang that man, trial or no trial."

Daisy blanched. "And now Luke."

"Seems that way."

"Oh, Bo…I'm—I'm starting to really get scared."

Bo reached out and took her hand, wrapping her slender fingers in his rough palm. "I know, me too. But don't you worry. I'm not about to give up on Luke yet."

Bo and Daisy eventually decided that he should make one last try to check out the garage later that night. Daisy didn't like it, but she knew it was the only way to figure out what was going on without talking to Luke—and both of them knew there was a snowball's chance of that happening. They each went to their beds and tried to sleep until midnight or so, but it took them a long time to drop off and they slept fitfully.

**XXXXX**

Luke swallowed hard against the rising feeling of panic that kept threatening to overwhelm him. He knew he was innocent and sooner or later they'd have to let him go, but it wasn't every day a man was thrown behind bars for murder. He fidgeted on the low cot he was sitting on, wishing that he'd worn his watch that day. He had no idea how long he'd been shut in, and even though he felt exhausted, he couldn't sleep. There weren't any windows in the cell block—just a strip of fluorescent lighting above his head. He'd never been afraid of small spaces, but being closed in like he was could drive a man to claustrophobia. He closed his eyes and buried his face in his hands, vainly trying to rub the headache out of his temples.

"If you're wondering, it's a little after one AM." The voice startled him and he jerked violently, looking around for the source. "Back here, in the corner." Luke looked through the forest of iron bars and for the first time he noticed the man in the furthest cell, sitting back against the wall. There were only three cells in all and the empty cell was between Luke and the other man. He and Bo had seen the other prisoner when they were escorted back, but the man had been lying down and hadn't moved at all for hours. Luke had forgotten about him.

"So you're my look-alike that got caught up in this mess, are you?" The other man rose and stretched, walking forward into the light. He was perhaps ten years older than Luke, dark-haired and broad-shouldered.

Luke looked at the other man warily. "You're here for the same reason I am?"

"Yep. I didn't do it either."

"Don't all suspects say that?"

The other man smirked. "Maybe, but we're both telling the truth. Name's Sam Avery. I'd shake your hand, but I can't quite reach from here. Heard your name was Luke."

"Yeah."

He suddenly lowered his voice and spoke quietly; just loud enough for Luke to catch his words. "Well, Luke, I'll tell you something…you weren't the only guy walking around Washburn at all hours last night. I was, too. And we're not here because we fit some description and got caught in a dragnet. We're here because we both saw the same thing."

Luke's face was marred by a puzzled frown. "What do you mean? The still in the garage? Moonshine ain't no big deal…it's everywhere."

"Not a still, and it wasn't moonshine. You stumbled into a meth lab, my friend."

"A what?"

"Methamphetamines. Illegal drugs," Sam clarified. "You were smelling ammonia and antifreeze, not corn liquor."

Luke rose from the cot and stepped to the edge of his cell, as close to the other man as he could get. "How do you know?"

Sam gave a half smile. "It's my job to know. More than that, I can't tell you right now. But I was out in the same part of town that you were."

"I know. You were the other guy I saw."

Sam blinked in surprise. "You knew that?"

"I didn't know for sure until now, but I wondered if you were him. Tell the truth, you're the whole reason I went that way. I saw you sneakin' around and wondered if you were gonna cause trouble, so I followed you."

"You didn't say that to the deputy when he questioned you earlier."

"I don't trust him. Who knows what he'll say or who he'll say it to when he's gone?" He shrugged. "I never saw you go in the garage, though, and last I saw you, you were heading back the way you came. From what you say, I don't think you killed those men either."

Sam's voice grew deadly serious. "Be careful what you say, Luke. If you're not sure a man's telling the truth, never show him all your cards. Exactly how long did you stay and watch that garage? Don't you realize that now you're doubly a witness?"

_Oh, no._ Luke went suddenly cold and his pulse raced in his ears. _Luke, you complete and total jackass! You have no idea if this man is telling the truth or not. If he really is the killer, you just told him you know enough to convict him. You just painted a big bull's-eye on your chest. Stupid, stupid, stupid._

But Sam relaxed, sighed, and shook his head. "Don't worry, Luke. You're right about me, whether you believe it or not. You tipped your hand; I'll tip mine. I haven't lived in Washburn too long—just over a year. I work for the Drug Enforcement Administration. I've been spending my time in this part of Georgia trying to crack a meth ring. Caught a lot of shine-runners, but it's only lately that I've actually found a lab. Right in the town I live in, ironically enough. They hide their labs pretty well."

"So you _were_ framed?"

Sam frowned. "Now, that I'm not sure about. Four men _were_ killed…They were favorite sons of the community, but I know they were also involved in the meth ring. What I don't know is who killed them. My best guess is that it was a rival drug gang: eliminate the competition and heighten the risk that the competing lab will be found and destroyed. Gives the other guy a chance at a monopoly, you see," he said dryly. "But the murders weren't committed in that garage, so there's no reason for the local law to investigate it. I'm at a dead end right now as to who _really_ killed them."

"Does the rest of the DEA know about this?"

"No, not yet." Sam looked frustrated. "They knew I suspected there was a lab here, but I was arrested before I had a chance to confirm and tell them where it is, and before I could get a search warrant. For all they know, I'm still looking."

Luke's brow furrowed as he thought. "So either we're in jail 'cause someone saw the killer and we look enough like him to get arrested; or you _were_ recognized last night, so they framed you to get you out of the way." He looked up to meet Sam's eyes. "And if that's what happened, it means I'm here because someone saw me, too."

"Bingo. I think that's what happened, Luke. There are plenty of other men in town who match the description the police were given, so why are we the only two arrested? Because someone could tell the law that they saw us."

"The others may have had an alibi…"

"Some could maybe, but not all. Someone planned this, and I'm willing to bet the meth dealers had something to do with it. And if that's the case…I'll be honest with you; I think our lives are on the line." Luke felt his chest grow tight. There was a heavy silence.

Then Luke's eyes widened as a sudden thought occurred to him. He dropped his voice even lower and said, "Where do you think Parker and Cook figure into all this?"

"Carl Cook is a good man. You don't need to worry about him. He's been helping me for the past few months even though he doesn't know about the meth ring yet…but he knows who I am and why I can't tell him more about what I do. As for Parker, I don't know. He could be in on it or he could know nothing. Either way, he's the one with the authority here, and once he's made up his mind about something, it's mighty hard to get him to change it."

"And he'd love to give his town the justice they're yellin' for." Luke sighed heavily. "Boy, we've sure put our foot in it, haven't we?"


	4. Chapter Four

_Next chapter! The prologue and the first chapter were originally two separate chapters, but I combined them into one chapter to avoid confusion. :)_

-Flynne

**Chapter Four **

"**Out of the Frying Pan…"**

When one AM rolled around, Bo decided he'd better start walking.

"Now, Bo, you be careful," Daisy ordered.

Bo gave her a smile. "Come on, remember who you're talkin' to! When I put my mind to it, there ain't nobody can track me down." Then he paused, and his handsome face grew serious. "Daisy, listen to me. It's one o'clock now. If I'm not back in an hour—"

"Bo, stop it! I don't wanna hear you say—"

"If I'm not back in an hour, I want you to get the General and get on back to Hazzard. I mean it. Luke and I don't want anything to happen to you. Will you do that?"

Daisy was silent for a moment. Then she wrapped her arms around Bo's waist and hugged him tightly. "Just watch your back," she said quietly.

"I will." He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze and slipped out the door.

Their motel room was right at the end of the building. All he had to do was slip out the door and around the corner into the bushes. He ducked down behind a shrub and scanned the parking lot. No movement at all. He was a little relieved, because he'd wondered if their room would be watched. With one last look over his shoulder, he silently set off again for the east end of town.

The streets of Washburn were deserted and all the houses were dark. Bo took a different route than he had before in case Red Hat and the Washburn Welcoming Committee were watching the road; he didn't know if they were behind all the trouble or not, but he didn't really want to meet up with them again to find out. He decided he'd move a few blocks south and then cut up a cross street close to the garage. He mentally crossed his fingers, hoping he could remember how to find it in the dark.

His psychic finger-crossing paid off, and he allowed himself a little sigh of relief as he turned the corner and saw the garage. Not very many streetlights were working, and the ones that were lit cast a sickly orange glow onto the dusty pavement. Long black shadows stretched across the roads, edges sharp as cut paper. Somewhere outside the city limits, a coyote started yowling.

Bo retreated about a hundred yards where he could cross the street in an area that the street lights couldn't reach. Then he pressed against the line of darkened buildings and started edging up the street toward the garage. He could feel tiny beads of sweat starting to form up near his hairline. He was getting nervous. _Somethin' tells me if I meet up with anybody this time, I won't be goin' back to the motel. Daisy, I sure hope you can get outta town._

He was right next to the garage, and still no sign of life anywhere. A small alley ran next to the yellow brick building and he quickly disappeared into it. He couldn't get in through the big rising front doors, so he had to look for another entrance. His mouth twitched in an almost-smile as he found the side door. Carefully he put his hand on the knob, expecting it to be locked—

The knob turned. _It's unlocked. If there's really somethin' to hide in here, this door wouldn't be open…unless I'm supposed to be able to get in here. Well, if it's a trap, I've come too far now to turn back…_

Bo slowly pushed the door open. It swung aside silently on well-oiled hinges. When he'd pushed the door open as far as he dared, he took a deep breath and slipped his lean frame through the narrow opening, closing the door behind him.

The garage was dark and he had to wait a moment before his eyes adjusted to the gloom. The orange light from the street lamp outside filtered through the opaque painted windows, letting a hazy dim light through. Immediately, Bo caught the "funny smell" that Luke had mentioned. It nearly covered the odor of old oil and stale exhaust leftover from when the garage had actually been used to repair cars; a stinging, acrid smell. _Cleaning supplies?_ he wondered.

On the floor next to the far wall, he could see a haphazard mass of hardware that might have belonged to a still at one point, but Bo had seen a lot of stills in his day and there were parts there that he didn't recognize and parts that should have been there, but weren't. The whole pile looked as if it had been dismantled and set neatly aside. _Looks like it's getting ready to be packed up._ He crossed the room and knelt beside the hardware. The smell was stronger there, and combined with the odor of cat litter from a nearby trash bag, it was strong enough to make his eyes water. He cautiously lifted the lid of a cardboard box and a look of confusion rested on his face as he saw box upon box of cold medicine packed neatly inside.

"You lookin' for something, friend?"

The voice behind him seemed so loud in the quiet garage that Bo gasped and whirled around as if the noise had been as loud as a gunshot. The silhouettes of two men loomed behind him and the weak light glimmered dully off the handguns each one carried.

"I don't know who you are, mister," said one of the men, "but you just found a hell of a lot more trouble than you bargained for."

Bo didn't have time to duck before the third man behind him smashed a rifle butt against his skull.

**XXXXX**

"How long has he been out?"

"Almost twenty minutes. Musta whacked him harder than I thought."

"Stupid kid. Just had to go nosing around where he didn't belong. Guess it runs in the family."

"So why's he still here? Let me take him out to the lake and we'll be done with him."

"No, I don't think so. I've got a better idea."

The voices bounced and echoed inside his pounding head. Still not fully awake, Bo couldn't keep himself from letting out a halfhearted groan. He heard footsteps.

"Lookie here…our friend is waking up." The tip of a boot prodded him roughly in the side. "You in there, bud?"

Bo opened his mouth to talk, but nothing came out. He seethed inwardly at the mocking laughter that echoed off the bare walls of the garage. His anger gave him the strength to try again. "I—I can hear you just fine," he slurred. Rough hands grabbed his collar and hauled him upright. He collapsed back against the wall, painfully touching the side of his head where he had been struck. His fingertips came away tacky with blood.

Now that he was sitting up, the world came more into focus. He swallowed against his dry throat and said more clearly, "Keepin' me here won't do you no good."

The owner of the first voice chuckled. "You don't exactly have an objective opinion, Duke." The man squatted down in front of him. Bo couldn't make out his features, but he wasn't sure if that was because of the light or because his vision was still fuzzy. "You and your cousin have presented us with quite a problem," the man continued.

"Don't expect me to make it up to you."

In the dimness, the voice was smiling. "Too late. I already got my hopes up." He stood up and turned to address his companions. "What time is it?"

"Little after one-thirty."

"Okay, listen. Get the rest of the boys in here. We got a lot to discuss and time's a wastin'."

**XXXXX**

Luke jerked out of the hazy half-doze he had fallen into when he heard the door to the cell block creak open. Sam was already on his feet by the time Luke hauled himself off the narrow cot. Both men were anxious and relieved to see Carl Cook standing there.

"I got here quick as I could," he said to the DEA agent. "I know you wanted me to come earlier, but I couldn't get back here to see you until now."

"Don't worry about it," Sam answered. "Did anyone see you come?"

Carl gave a quick shake of his head. "I don't think so. I had to wait a while before the coast was clear, though. You were right; someone _was_ watchin' city hall; they're gone now." His mouth drew into a tight line and his eyes bored into Sam's. "Tell me what's goin' on in my town, Avery."

Sam told him. He didn't need to explain as much as he thought he would. Carl was surprisingly well-read for a country deputy and he understood exactly what Sam had been dealing with. He'd also had his own suspicions for a while, but hadn't known enough to act on them. "Okay," he said when the DEA agent had finished. "What next? If this thing's comin' to a head, we need to act now. I didn't see nobody on my way here, but I could definitely hear some noise startin' up not too far away. I don't know why, but it sounds as if people are gettin' stirred up, and I think we might have major trouble on our hands before long."

Sam glanced at his watch. "Almost two…well, it doesn't matter. Carl, you need to get on the horn and call any cops from neighboring towns that would be able to help. Don't do it from the station. I've got a feeling it could get pretty dangerous here in a little while. And here, gimme your pen." He took the writing instrument and a piece of paper the deputy gave him and scribbled something down. "When you're done, call this number. It's my contacts in Atlanta. Tell them what I told you and they'll be on their way." He shook his head ruefully. "Wish I'd been able to give that to you before."

"Never mind, I'll take care of it. Now, what do I tell Parker? Does he know about this?"

"Not from me. Do you trust him?"

Carl hesitated just a fraction of a second too long before he said, "I want to."

"Then don't tell him anything. Just get on out of here."

"First I'm gonna let you out. You two are comin' with me. Parker'll kick my ass from here to California for it, but I don't want you here if trouble starts. You'll be sittin' ducks. Hold on, I got the keys out front." He stuffed the piece of paper in his pocket and disappeared.

Luke rested his forehead against the bars of his cell and squeezed his eyes shut. He'd wanted to ask if Carl had heard anything about Bo and Daisy…if this town was as unfriendly as it sounded, his cousins could wind up in deep trouble.

He looked up expectantly as the cell block door opened again—and suddenly tensed as he saw Sheriff Parker stride through the door. "Everything all right back here?"

"Yes, we're fine," Sam said. "…Is Deputy Cook still here?"

"No, I sent him home," Parker replied. "Turns out we both had the same idea to check on you since things are kinda restless tonight. He's had a hard week, so I told him I'd be here the rest of the night. You two go on back to sleep. I'll be out front." He walked away and shut the door behind him.

**XXXXX**

The clock on the wall read 2:07. Bo wasn't back yet. Daisy nibbled on her thumbnail, casting a nervous glance at the door. For the past half-hour, she had grown more and more anxious. The dead silence outside had become alarmingly noisy. She couldn't hear it well from inside the motel room, but she knew it would be loud wherever it was. She suspected Bo was the cause, but she didn't know if that was a good thing or not.

Her slender fingers picked at the frayed edge of the hole in the knee of her jeans. She couldn't wait any longer. Bo was counting on her leaving for Hazzard, but she wasn't about to run out on her cousins when she knew they could be in grave danger. She hopped off the bed, pulled on her jacket, and was out the door.

Once she was outside, the vague rumblings she had heard from the motel room became clearer. Voices. Angry voices, and lots of them. She said a quick prayer and started following the noise. When she caught up with them, she stayed out of sight and waited until she could safely peek around a corner to see what they were up to.

A mob of people—mostly men, but a few women—was heading towards the center of town. Flashlight beams bobbed around and cut through the darkness in the spaces between street lamps. When they passed beneath one of the tall orange bulbs, Daisy felt her blood run cold. Bo was at the front of the group. He appeared to be all right, but his arms had been bound behind his back and he was being jostled along as his captors shoved him down the street. And more than one person in the roiling sea of people was carrying an ominous-looking coil of rope.


	5. Chapter Five

** Chapter Five **

"**The Lights Went Out"**

Daisy followed the mob at a distance, her heart in her throat. She could tell now that the mob was heading for the jail, and something told her it wasn't just to lock Bo up with Luke. Men would step away from the group as they went along, pounding on doors to the darkened houses. Some doors stayed closed and the men came back alone, but all too often they returned with another angry-looking citizen in tow. She gradually moved closer to the edge of the growing crowd, following along behind. If anybody recognized her, they gave no notice.

The mass of people stopped at the bottom of the town hall steps. Sheriff Parker was standing in the doorway. He waved his arms above his head until the din of voices lessened enough for him to be heard.

"What's all this about?"

"We found this fella inside a garage on the other side of town," someone said. The man climbed the stairs and dropped a bulky sack at the sheriff's feet. "And we found this with him."

Parker stooped and rifled through the sack. His round face grew grim as he inspected the contents, and he looked up to fix Bo with a mean-eyed glare. "Drugs," he announced. "This man has been runnin' a drug lab in my town."

"That's a lie!" Bo burst out. The men holding him gave him a sharp shake, but he ignored it and said, "I don't know what any of the stuff in that bag is, and I ain't never been here before yesterday!"

"So why were you hiding in the garage?" Parker demanded.

"I _wasn't_ hiding. I was tryin' to figure out exactly what my cousin saw there last night. You've got him locked up in there because you say he's a killer. Well, _I_ say you've got him because he saw somethin' he wasn't supposed to and these bum charges are just a cover-up!"

"You better shut up, boy. The people of Washburn don't like to listen to criminals," Parker said angrily. "I'll tell you what happened. We got another man in jail, too. Goes by the name of Avery. He's been livin' here this past year, runnin' that drug lab for you Dukes. You come into town yesterday to see how he's doin', only you didn't get away clean. Four of our good people saw you, and you had your cousin and Avery kill 'em to keep 'em from talking."

"You filthy liar! That's—" Somebody hit Bo hard from behind and he was silent.

"You'll get your chance to talk at your trial, Duke," Parker said.

"He's on trial _now_!" one of the men holding Bo said. "I say we get the other two out here and finish it right now!" An enthusiastic and angry cheer echoed off the darkened buildings.

_Parker, you idiot, take Bo into custody and get him in jail! He's not safe out here!_ Daisy cast a distressed look around. _Surely not everyone in this town is loco. Where are all the level-headed people?_ A sudden flicker of movement from across the street caught her attention, and her question was answered. There had been a light at one of the windows, but it had suddenly gone out and the curtains had fluttered closed. _They're all scared. Am I the only one out here who doesn't want anything to happen tonight? God, please let Parker make the right decision…_

**XXXXXX**

Luke suddenly rose and cocked his head, listening. "Sam, you hear that?"

"Sure do." The older man sighed. "Luke, I think we're in trouble. That's the sound of a lot of angry people outside."

The door to the cell block banged open again for the third time that night. Dread settled in Luke's stomach like a brick as four men barged in carrying the keys and two pairs of handcuffs. He shot a quick look over at Sam. _Yep. We're in trouble._ He tensed as one of the men started to unlock the door. _You ain't gonna get me that easy._

He retreated to the back of the cell, forcing the men to follow him in. Just as he'd hoped, one of them was still carrying the keys. If he could manage to get the two men out of his cell and keep the keys locked in with him, it would buy some time for both him and Sam. He lunged forward, knocking one man to the ground before flinging himself at the man who was carrying the keys. All of his weight bore down on the man as he was slammed back against the bars. The keys dropped to the floor as the man cried out in pain.

If it had just been two men, Luke would have been able to do it. As it was, the other two were inside the cell before the keys hit the ground. They pulled Luke away and wrestled him to the floor where they cuffed his hands behind his back.

"Don't even think about tryin' what your friend did," one of them warned Sam. "If you don't come outta there peaceful like, this guy is gonna 'accidentally' break his head open against the floor." They grabbed Luke's arms and hauled him roughly to his feet. The second pair of handcuffs clicked shut on Sam's wrists. The two prisoners were pushed out of the cell block and through the office onto the steps of the town hall. Luke felt a thrill of fear race along his nerves as he saw the unfriendly and restless crowd gathered in the street. Then he froze.

Bo was right at the foot of the stairs looking up at him. His hands were bound as well, and he stood flanked by two tough-looking men. Luke immediately grew alarmed as he saw the trickle of blood running down the side of Bo's head and the slightly disoriented glaze in the wide blue eyes. Then he was moved forcibly down the steps with Sam, and found himself next to his cousin at the head of a mob of people moving rapidly down the dark streets.

Luke shot a concerned look at the younger man. "Bo, you hurt?"

"I got a whale of a headache, but I'll live." Bo looked past his cousin at the second dark-haired man. "I'm guessin' that's Avery."

"Yeah, that's him. What happened to you?"

"I found that garage you saw." He broke off as one of his captors gave him a rough shake.

"No talkin', now! Y'all just shut up and keep walkin'!"

Luke ignored the command. "Where's Daisy?"

"I told her to go home if I wasn't back soon. I wasn't, so I hope she did." Any further conversation between the cousins was then stopped as Bo's captors pulled him away where his words couldn't reach Luke.

Sam's breath suddenly hissed between his teeth as he gasped. "Luke…look."

"Oh, no." It could have just been a coincidence, but the tall cluster of oak trees up ahead was beginning to look more and more menacing as they approached. The knot of fear in Luke's gut clenched tighter as sweat began to bead on his forehead. _Lord, we could sure use some help right about now!_

**XXXXXX**

Bo and Luke hadn't seen Daisy as she followed along in the shadows at the rear. Her heart was pounding wildly as the mob passed the edge of town and stopped beneath the heavy boughs of a grove of trees. After Parker had let the crowd have their way back at the town hall, he had fallen back and simply followed along on the fringe, out of sight. This was a lawless, angry crowd, and Daisy knew if they weren't stopped, Avery and her cousins wouldn't survive the night.

One of the men, a burly man even taller than Bo, stepped forward and waved his hands over his head. "Y'all wanted a trial," he announced. "So we're gonna have one!" He pointed at Sam. "This here man has been makin' poison right in our own town. You all knew John, Teller, Lou, and Paul." Angry rumbles greeted the names of the four men who had been murdered. "Well, they saw Avery. He knew he'd been caught, so he sent this man…" he pointed at Luke. "…to make sure our friends didn't talk!"

"He's right," someone shouted from the crowd. "I saw him myself."

"Don't listen to him!" Sam spoke up. The pieces were rapidly falling into place in his mind. "_He's_ the one who's in the drug ring. _He's_ the one who had your friends killed—because they were in on it too. They were competition, weren't they, Tom?"

"The people of Washburn know better than to listen to a stranger, Avery," Tom shot back. "And I'll tell everyone that I found this man…" he pointed at Bo. " …in Avery's drug lab tonight. He was packin' up everything getting ready to leave town! Kyle and Nelson can back me up. They were there, too. Ain't that right, boys?" The two men who were restraining Bo shouted their agreement.

Tom grinned triumphantly. "Looks to me like we have a verdict, don't we, Sheriff Parker?"

"I think you're right, Mr. Harmon," the gray-haired lawman replied, stepping into view from the shadows beneath the trees. "Guilty." Daisy's mouth went dry as a small group of men stepped forward carrying a ladder and coils of rope.

"No!" She screamed over the cry of approval that followed. "No, stop it!" Immediately every hostile eye was fixed on her. Bo and Luke recognized her voice instantly and looked up in surprise and alarm. "Can't you people see what you're doing? This isn't a trial, it's a lynch mob!"

Parker pointed a thick finger at her. "You watch who you're callin' a lynch mob, Little Sister! These here people want to see that justice is done."

"She's their kin!" someone hollered. "She's in on it, too!"

"Daisy, run!" Luke shouted. "Get out of here, _now_!"

As much as she hated to do it, Daisy knew she didn't have a choice. She saw some of the men start to move towards her, spun on her heel and bolted away. She heard footsteps pounding behind her as she ran back towards town. Her eyes burned with angry tears as she heard the commotion at her back grow louder. _No, no, no! Please, don't let Bo and Luke be—_

"We've wasted enough time," Tom snapped. "Let's get this over with." He and two other men took hold of Sam and started dragging him toward the trees.

Sam wrenched violently against the hands that held him. "Dammit, no! Parker, you miserable excuse for a lawman—I'm a Federal agent!" Luke saw Tom flinch, and he winced as his captors' hands clamped even tighter on his arms. One of the men behind him bit back a strangled curse.

Parker almost succeeded in hiding his surprise. Then he took a few shallow breaths before his face hardened and he said, "That's too little, too late, Avery."

"Wh—what?"

"Do you really expect me to believe a cock-and-bull story like that?" the sheriff asked snidely, regaining hold of confidence as he recovered from the shock of Sam's revelation.

"I'm telling you the truth!" Sam insisted. "Take me back to my house and I can prove it to you!"

"Even if you could, you wouldn't be the first good agent to go sour," Parker replied. "More's the pity." Sam turned pale at the cold finality in the other man's voice.

Then Tom found his voice. "Quit stalling!" he interrupted viciously. "You ain't gonna tell no more lies. We're doin' ourselves a favor by gettin' rid of you, and don't think you can pull the wool over our eyes no longer!" He strode forward and grabbed Sam's collar, joining the other men in dragging the prisoner away.

"No!" With a powerful lunge, Luke broke away and charged at the knot of men. He knew his attempted attack was futile at best—he could do next to nothing with his hands shackled, but he didn't hesitate. Tom saw him coming, turned to meet him, and struck him hard enough that, strong as he was, Luke staggered and dropped to his knees, stunned. He was picked up again and hauled away to stand next to Bo.

"Luke, you okay?" Bo hissed.

Luke just bowed his dark head and gave it a dismissive shake. "I will be…but it ain't gonna matter much before long," he said in a low voice that sent fearful chills racing down Bo's spine.

**XXXXXX**

Daisy had had a head start on her pursuers but she could tell they were gaining. She didn't dare look behind her to see how close they were. By now she had reached the edge of town, and she was ducking down every dark street, turning every corner she came to in an attempt to shake the men who were chasing her. If she could just get back to the General she'd be able to drive it right through the mob of people and get to her cousins before it was too late.

Then someone grabbed her from behind and dragged her down a black alley.


	6. Chapter Six

**Chapter Six **

"**Almost in Time"**

Daisy thrashed against the arms that held her and tried to scream but a strong hand clamped down on her mouth, silencing her cries.

"Shhh! Miss Duke, please be still!" a voice hissed in her ear. "I'm not gonna hurt you!" She stopped struggling and the man gently released her. "It's Carl, the deputy," he whispered. "I'm a friend of Sam's. I'm tryin' to help him and your cousins. I'm sorry to grab you so rough, but I had to get you out of the way fast."

"Carl, we've gotta do something," Daisy said in a low voice. "That crowd's getting ready to kill them!"

"I know. I've already called other officers in the surrounding counties. They should be here any time now. I was on my way out to try and stop that mob but then I saw them chasin' after you and I knew I needed to get to you before they did."

"Thanks a lot, but we better get back out there! They may already be—"

"I know, we don't have much time." Carl paused and pressed something cold and heavy into her palm. "Here. You may need this. Now come on, my car is back here." Her heartbeat quickened as her fingers tightened around the pistol. They sprinted back to Carl's squad car at the back of the alley.

Daisy pushed his hand aside when he reached for the driver's side door. "Uh-uh. You'd better let me drive." Carl didn't argue. He jumped in the passenger side and slammed his door closed just in time as Daisy gunned the engine. She barreled out of the alley, narrowly missing two of the men who had been after her. Tires squealed as she skidded around corners, filling the air with the harsh smell of burning rubber. The buildings flashed by in the darkness as they hit the edge of town.

"Oh, dear Lord," Carl groaned.

Daisy bit back a cry of dismay as she saw the long shape suspended in the air beneath a black oak tree. She laid on the horn, and the mob scattered as she bore down on them. The police car spun sideways and skidded to a stop in a cloud of dust. She felt a rush of relief when saw that Bo and Luke were still alive.

"Cook, what the devil are you doin'?" Parker demanded as Daisy and the deputy jumped out of the car.

"You gotta stop this, Sheriff!" Carl ordered. "You're making a mistake!"

"These people want justice done!" Parker said angrily.

"This isn't justice!" the deputy's eyes were filled with fury and sorrow. "This, _this_ is murder. Sam Avery was innocent." The crowd drew close again, and Daisy could feel the rising edge to their anger. She looked anxiously at Bo and Luke. Tom and another man had Luke in a viselike grip—a noose already around his neck, she noticed with sudden terror—while Bo was still held firmly between Kyle and Nelson. Nelson was holding a rifle. The boys looked pale and scared, but obviously relieved that she was all right.

"Sam worked for the DEA," Cook continued. "Didn't he ever try to tell you? He wasn't making meth. He was trying to put an end to it! But his cover was blown and he was framed for a crime he didn't commit. And those two fellas there didn't have anything to do with it. They were just in the wrong place at the wrong time." The momentum of the crowd was suddenly brought up short. Most were still angry, but some were beginning to look uncertainly at each other. They could easily believe that a stranger—a newcomer to their town who wasn't generally liked—could lie; but this was one of their own and a man they knew was honest. Cold threads of doubt began to weave through their minds.

"Carl," Parker said sadly, "I never thought I'd see the day when I'd have to call you a liar."

The deputy twitched in surprise. "What?" Then his face began to turn red with anger. "Parker…you _are_ involved!"

"I don't need to listen to you make false accusations," the sheriff growled. He was mad, but he was getting nervous. He hadn't expected his deputy to appear.

"That's fine," Carl said icily. "You can tell the other officers when they get here. They're on their way here now. And then you can explain to the DEA why you stood by and watched while one of their men died!"

That did it. Parker's nerve broke in the face of the unexpected confrontation and he lost the last of his steadily weakening hold over the mob. "You can't blame me!" he burst out furiously. "Tom Harmon and the others arranged this, not me! I was just as in the dark as you!"

Tom had had enough. Before anyone could stop him, he caught hold of the noose around Luke's neck and jerked the younger man back against his body. Bo threw himself forward, trying to knock the big man away from his cousin, but his captors hauled him back and knocked him to the ground. Nelson jammed the end of the rifle barrel against his back.

"I don't wanna hear any more of this!" Tom declared, looking around at the increasingly uneasy crowd. Luke tried to break away, but he couldn't with his hands tied and the bigger man nearly lifting his feet off the ground. The rough hemp scraped against his skin and his eyes grew bright with the first gleam of panic as he struggled unsuccessfully to breathe. "Nobody come any closer. I got a good hold on this feller, so I suggest that y'all let me get outta here—only a few minutes, and then he dies. I know you don't wanna try to wait me out."

"Don't try it, Tom," Carl warned, drawing his pistol. "Let him go."

Tom just smirked, knowing Luke was as good a shield as he could ask for. "Why are you aimin' at me? Parker's the one who—"

**_Bang!_**

Tom jerked violently and pitched forward as the sheriff's bullet found its mark in his back—while focusing on Carl, he hadn't noticed the lawman slip behind him. He fell hard and brought Luke down with him. Carl took advantage of the moment of distraction and darted forward. He tackled Nelson, bringing him to the ground as he knocked the rifle away. Parker saw his chance and took aim at his deputy.

"Don't try it!"

The sheriff froze in astonishment as the commanding shout knifed through the chaos. He saw Daisy pull a handgun from the squad car. Her pale blue eyes narrowed as she settled him in her sights. "'Little Sister' don't miss when she aims her gun," she warned in a steely voice. He wet his lips nervously before his thick fingers slowly relaxed around the butt of his pistol and the weapon dropped harmlessly to the ground.

The stunned silence that had fallen was suddenly pierced by the wail of sirens. Bright flashes of red and blue light cut through the black night. Within minutes, five police cars had surrounded the crowd, and a dozen armed officers were on the scene. Tom's colleagues saw that they were caught and abandoned all efforts to keep their prisoners. They dropped their weapons and ran for it, but they didn't get far. Some of the townsfolk had seen the deadly mistake they had made, and they weren't about to let the real criminals escape. It was only a few minutes before the escaping meth cooks were caught and handed over to the reinforcing officers.

Daisy rushed over to where Tom and Luke had fallen. Both men were facedown on the ground. She pushed the dead man away with a grimace, leaning anxiously over her cousin. He was coughing harshly, sucking down air in ragged gulps. "Luke, are you all right?" Her hands shook as she pulled the rope away.

"I'm okay, Daisy," Luke said hoarsely.

"Thank God!" She slid her arms beneath him and helped him climb slowly to his feet. It was awkward because his hands were still restrained behind him and he was more than a little shaky from his brush with death, but he soon steadied when Daisy embraced him tightly.

He couldn't hug her back because of the handcuffs, but he bent his head and pressed his cheek against her hair. "Cousin, you sure have good timing."

The moment Carl had taken down Bo's captors, the young man had rolled away and struggled to sit up as the echoing shot from the gunfire rang in his ears. He tried to stand, but his head was pounding and he thought the world was looking a little funny—and with his hands tied, he couldn't get his balance.

Carl suddenly appeared at his side. "How're you doin', young fella?"

"I'll find out when I get on my feet." Bo sighed in relief as the deputy untied the tight rope that had bound his arms. "Sure glad it didn't make it around my neck," he said, rubbing his reddened wrists. Carl hooked an arm around his waist and helped him stand. He stayed close for a moment to make sure Bo could stand on his own.

"Can you walk?"

Bo looked over to see Daisy hugging the daylights out of Luke and he grinned. "Sure can."

"Bo!" Daisy saw him coming and threw her arms around his neck.

"Whoa, easy!" He caught her and staggered back a little. "All these flashin' lights are making me dizzy." Carl stepped around them and unlocked Luke's handcuffs.

Daisy drew back immediately, noticing with alarm the dried blood on the side of Bo's head. "You're hurt!"

"Nah, it's nothin' I can't shake off." He let go of her to wrap Luke in a huge bear hug. "You sure had me scared," he said, clapping the other man on the back. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I will be." Luke's voice was still a bit hoarse and there was an angry red mark on his throat where the rope had burned him, but the half-smile on his face eased Bo's anxiety.

Luke's serious blue eyes drifted over to the oak tree, where a few of the policemen had gently lowered Sam's body to the ground. His jaw tightened and he swallowed hard. "I just wish this could have ended in time to save him," he said quietly.

Bo felt his heart twist in his chest, and he felt suddenly cold as he realized just how close he had come to watching his best friend be hanged—how close he had come to hanging himself. He draped a long arm across Luke's shoulders and pulled him a little closer. "Me too, Luke. But…boy, I'm glad I didn't have to watch you—"

"I know." Luke closed his eyes. _Am I ever going to be able to forget seeing him die like that?_

Bo was watching him carefully. "This'll fade, Luke," he said softly. "I don't think we can ever forget what we saw tonight, but it'll get better. Honest, it will."

Luke gave his cousin a weak smile. "If you say so."

"I do say so."

"Hey, you three," Carl put in, "I think it's time we got you inside. It's been a long night for everyone and we're gonna have a lot to talk about come mornin'. You just follow me, now. I'll take you back to the motel." He glanced critically at Bo. "He seems all right to me," he told Luke, "but I think you should wake him up every half hour or so, just to be safe. Can't be too careful with a head injury." Luke nodded in understanding. He could tell that Bo was still a little unsteady on his feet, so he let his younger cousin lean on him a little as they followed the deputy to the car. As they drove off, a small cluster of police officers reverently covered Sam Avery with a sheet.

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_There's one more chapter coming! I am hoping to post it by Thursday (9/8)._

-Flynne :)


	7. Chapter Seven

_Here's the last chapter! Just a short one. Once again, thanks to all of you who reviewed the story or left encouraging comments! I appreciate all kinds of input, and I'm very glad you liked the story. :)_

_Later!_

-Flynne :)

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** Chapter Seven **

"**Tying up Loose Ends"**

Morning came too early for most people in Washburn the next day. Carl stopped by the motel shortly after ten. "Couple of guys from the DEA rolled in around five AM," he informed them. "They came to pick up Sam's body and take it to his hometown in Virginia. I think they'll wanna talk to you a little later on. They've been sortin' through everyone we arrested last night, tryin' to figure things out."

So far, he explained, the police had determined that there were indeed two competing meth rings. Tom Harmon, Kyle, and Nelson—along with a handful of others—had been running their lab from the garage in Washburn. Parker had figured things out a year or so before, but he had struck a deal with the criminals: If they would agree not to sell any meth within his town _and_ if they paid him a small sum each month, he'd ignore what they were doing.

The four men from Washburn who had been murdered had started up their own lab in a run-down house a few miles south of town just a few months ago. They had been attempting to steal supplies from Tom's lab when they had been caught. They were followed and killed a few blocks away to keep the investigation away from the garage where Tom had his lab. When Bo had been caught snooping, Tom and his men decided to sacrifice the lab in the garage—they had already begun moving things out after the men had been killed—and start using the lab the dead men had been running.

With the help of the sheriff, they tried to use Luke, Bo, and Sam as scapegoats for both the drug and murder charges, which would free them from any further suspicion. Those involved in the riot that weren't mixed up in the drug ring would have to face various fines and charges.

"Parker and the others didn't know Sam was an agent. But once they found out, they knew they had to kill him or risk losing everything. They might be able to cover up his death, but if he lived, they'd be sent up the river on drug charges. One thing's for sure," Carl finished, "The people of Washburn are gonna be a lot more careful in the future about accusin' people before they know the whole story."

"So that means Luke's not a suspect anymore?" Daisy asked hopefully.

"Luke's free to go. You all are." He let out a big sigh and rubbed his eyes with his fingers. "And now I'm done. Comin' to see you three was the last thing I needed to do this mornin'. I'm bushed."

Daisy gave him a sympathetic look. "Didn't you sleep at all?"

The deputy smiled ruefully. "No I didn't. Seein' as how I got myself appointed sheriff after Parker was arrested last night, I've been pretty busy." He sighed and shook his head. "Can't believe I worked with him for ten years and it ends like this. It'll take some gettin' used to." Then he smiled and winked at her. "Although I've got an opening for deputy right about now, if you'd be interested. I tell you, boys, Daisy did a bang-up job last night."

"Believe me, we know," Luke said emphatically.

Bo raised an eyebrow and folded his arms across his chest, giving his pretty cousin a playful smirk. "Now, that reminds me…Daisy, I thought I done told you to get outta town if I wasn't back by two."

She laughed at him and ruffled his shaggy blond hair. "Since when do I listen to my little cousin?"

The trio went over to the town hall just one more time that morning for a brief interview with the men from the DEA. Luke was the one they were most interested in talking to, so while he was busy Bo put a call through to their uncle. Jesse was relieved to hear from him; he'd begun to worry when his niece and nephews were overdue back at the farm and they hadn't called. Bo spoke with him just long enough to assure him that they were all right and told him they would explain everything when they got home.

Meanwhile, Luke spent almost an hour with the pair of agents who were questioning him, telling them what he and Sam Avery had talked about. He left with a handshake and their sincere thanks for trying to help their fellow agent. _But it wasn't enough. I couldn't keep him from dying last night._

"I don't believe I've ever been so glad to get on home," Bo said as they headed for their car.

"No argument here," Luke answered. "Hey, hold up, Bo. You ain't doin' any driving until we get that noggin of yours checked out by Doc Appleby in Hazzard. Drivin' with you is crazy enough without the threat of dizzy spells."

"Fine with me. But I still say I'm all right."

"And you're never wrong, are you, Bo?" Daisy asked sweetly as she slid into the back seat.

"Don't come complainin' to me if you find your bed's been short-sheeted," he shot back.

Luke chuckled at his cousins' banter as he put the key into the ignition. His heart was still a little heavy in his chest, remembering Sam's death and wishing he could have prevented it. He'd only known the man for a few hours, but the DEA agent had been a decent human being. He hadn't deserved an end like that.

But nobody could ever stay down for long when Bo was around, and already Luke was feeling better in spite of himself. Bo had also told him that their uncle knew they were on their way. It encouraged him to know that Jesse would be waiting at the end of the road. And then he heard his uncle's voice in his head as clearly as if the old man were sitting next to him: _"Don't let yourself get beat down by the troubles of the world, Luke boy. You can't fix everything that's broken. That ain't your job…it's God's. It's up to Him to put things right in the end, and you might not be able to see it right away. Maybe you never will. All you can do is the best you can, nothin' more. God's smarter'n you are, anyhow." _

"Hey, Luke!" Bo nudged his shoulder. "You _sure_ you wanna drive? 'Cause we ain't gone nowhere yet."

Luke laughed and let a real smile rest on his face for the first time that morning. "Okay, pal. We're gone." The last of his regrets slipped away on a sigh as he turned the key. The engine came to life with it's familiar growl, and he thumped his fist affectionately on the steering wheel. "General, it's good to see you, too." Then with a final blast of "Dixie" on the horn, the General Lee sped out of town on a cloud of dust and headed for home.

**- END -**


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